Sports Writing

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Sports Writing

• By Gerry Appel
• For Boswell High School

jideas.org
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Types of Sports Stories

• Preview/Recap Stories
• Features/Profiles
• Columns

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General Sports Writing Tips

• Know sports well rules, records, strategy
• Go to practices
• Get to know players and coaches
• Do not attend games/matches as a fan
• Pay attention at games
• Be fair and balanced
• Dont argue with sources

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Preview Stories

• Season preview-How will the team compare to last
  year?-What are your goals?
• Game preview/recap-How does the team stack up
  against the other school?-Why did the game turn
  out the way it did?

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Features/Profiles

• Can be evergreen
• Features can focus on a serious topic (ex coach
  overcoming cancer) or a light topic (how a
  schools nickname was chosen)
• Profiles can be about coaches, players, or
  someone elsesuch as a team manager.

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Columns

• A column gives the staff an outlet for editorial
  comment. Columns can-Give an opinion (but back
  it up)-Interpret or analyze an event or
  topic-Entertain
• Avoid predictions
• Never cheerlead

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Quotes

• Why use quotes?-Quotes breakup writers
  voice-Quotes add flavor-Quotes give explanation
  from the source
• When using quotes-Make sure you got the quote
  right! Write it down AND use a tape recorder.
  Double check with your source if you need
  to.-Run enough of the quote to get the meaning,
  but dont let quotes ramble onand onand on

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Quotes that lull readers to sleep

• You cant consider the fact that they are 0-155
  over the last two decades and that we beat them
  110-6 last week, Coach Grimes said. You can bet
  our kids are taking them seriously.

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More Hideous Quotes

• We are looking forward to the season, Coach
  Witkemper said. Our girls have worked really
  hard and if everything goes right we could have a
  good year.
• We are glad we won, Coach Smith said.
• Im very proud of this team, Coach Bishop said.
  We didnt win a lot of games but we played with
  a lot of heart.

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Getting Game Interviews

• Do your interviews right after the game
• Develop questions during the game
• Make questions brief, get stats later- Try
  catching players/coaches in the locker room-
  Coach will get to know you and be ready for you-
  This is your job, so feel comfortable

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How do you start a story? Leads!

• A lead is the introduction to your story.
• You do not have to use all 5 ws in the first
  paragraph. Keep things brief and clear.
• Use a short, live verb.

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Some Examples of Leads

• Pretend Boswell won the game on a pass in the
  final 15 seconds of the game. Your interview
  reveals the running back had a broken shoelace,
  and his shoe almost fell off!
• Question When a man needs to score a touchdown
  and needs to tie his shoelace at the same time,
  what does he do?

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More Examples of Leads!!!

• Quotation We should mount Joe Smiths left shoe
  in our trophy case, beamed coach Tom Healy. And
  the shoelace, too.
• The You Lead So you think its easy to run 40
  yards while your shoe is falling off.
• Straightaway Statement Joe Smiths left shoe
  almost fell off in the dash for the goal
  line--but he made it for Smallvilles winning
  touchdown.

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Conclusion

• The three types of stories are- Preview/Recap-
  Features/Profiles- Columns
• Dont forget to- Use good quotes- Write clear
  and creative leads- Work hard and use common
  sense

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Sports Writing

• Any questions?Gerry Appelwww.jideas.org